I wouldn’t let a biopic be made on me: Lata Mangeshkar

As the veteran singer turns 87 today, she says she won’t write an autobiography; adds that she doesn’t want to involve herself in “mud-slinging”.

Lata Mangeshkar is fondly called the ‘nightingale of India’. Today (September 28), as the Bharat Ratna awardee turns 87, HT talks to the iconic Indian vocalist about her career, and her life so far. “I am not a big fan of birthdays. At this stage in my life, I always think, ‘Another year of my life has gone.’ It is not something to be happy about. Celebrations are good only for kids,” says Mangeshkar, laughing.

Lata Mangeshkar says she misses all her old colleagues such as Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi.(Hindustan Times)

You started working at the age of 13 (in 1942). Didn’t that scare you? Did you wish your life to be like that of other teenage girls?

I never got the chance to do that. My father passed away in 1942, and three-four months after his death, I had to start working. There was a responsibility on my shoulders to run the household. It was my duty as the eldest child in the house. Besides my mother, I had four sisters and a brother.

Watch: Naina barse from Woh Kaun Thi

You have completed nearly 75 years as a singer. How has the journey been?

It has been very good. When I started out, there was so much work that I couldn’t think of doing anything else. I would go for recordings by 8.30am, that too in trains. I used to come home at night. I was travelling alone everywhere. But the enthusiasm with which people worked at that time was very good. Things were beautiful. I used to hear a new song every day, and I felt good about singing those songs. Also, working with music directors such as Shankar Jaikishanji, Khemchand Prakashji, Naushad saab, Shyam Sundar and SD Burman felt good. They were all understanding and helped me out. Then, when Hridaynath Mangeshkar (brother) started [composing music], I got a new path. With him, I recorded gyaneshwari, meera bhajans and three adhyays of Bhagavadgita. So, it was a new experience for me because we were used to singing songs in mostly Urdu and Hindi. Then, Salil Chaudhary (composer) encouraged me to sing a Bengali number, and I started singing those for him.

Lata Mangeshkar’s biggest hit in her initial years was the iconic, ‘Aayega aane waala’ from the Ashok Kumar-Madhubala starrer Mahal.

Is it true that producer Sashadhar Mukherjee found your voice “too thin”, before you bagged your breakthrough song — ‘Dil mera toda’ (Majboor) — in 1948?

Yes (laughs), Mukherjee sahab said, “Yeh aawaz chalegi nahi (this voice won’t work).” At that time, Master Ghulam Haiderji (composer) had called me [to sing] for Shaheed (1948), which starred Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal. Haiderji got very angry (because of what Mukherjee had said about Mangeshkar’s voice), and brought me to Bombay Talkies, where he was working on a film. That’s when I sang my first song for Majboor.

Biopics have become the flavour of the season. Would you like a biopic on your life?

I wouldn’t let a biopic be made on me. That’s because I don’t believe in them. I don’t like them. As you said, there are talks of a biopic on Guru Dutt being made… I’m certain that some unnecessary details will be included in the movie. I don’t approve of that.

Do you ever think of writing an autobiography?

I will never do that. It’s not necessary that you meet only good people in your journey. There are some nice people, but there are others who wish ill for you. If I write about myself, and talk about an incident where someone did something bad to me, I’m afraid about what people will say. It will be pointed out to me that the other person is dead, and I wouldn’t like that. Why should I involve myself in such mud-slinging, especially with those who have passed away?

Recently, in your tweet, you requested your fans to help the soldiers who were affected by the Uri terror attacks in J&K…

People send me a lot of flowers and bouquets. I feel bad because eventually they dry up. This year, instead of wasting money on flowers, we can help the army. Even if it is a contribution of Rs 200, it will be a sign of love for our country and our soldiers. If we didn’t have soldiers or an army, our country would not exist. The work they are doing at such a young age, leaving their kids, wives and parents behind, is exemplary. I saw an emotional old lady participate in her son’s last rites’ procession. She couldn’t even walk properly. I felt sad. So, instead of sending me presents, I request my fans to send it to our jawaans.

Lata Mangeshkar says she likes Alia Bhatt’s work.

You’ve sung for so many actresses. What do you think of the new generation of actors such as Shraddha Kapoor and Alia Bhatt?

Shraddha is related to me. Padmini Kolhapure and Shivangi’s (Shraddha’s mother) father, Pandharinath Kolhapure, was my aunt’s son; we spent our childhood together. So, Shraddha is like my granddaughter. I have not seen any of her films, but people appreciate her work. I like Alia Bhatt, par bahut chhoti lagti hai (she looks a bit too young on screen; laughs). I guess she entered the industry very early. But she is a good actor.

Lata Mangeshkar says Shraddha Kapoor is related to her but hasn’t seen her films yet.

How do you think the industry has changed over the years?

Today’s heroines aren’t like the earlier ones. But that’s okay, since this generation is different too. Par aaj-kal jo dresses pehne jaate hai usse mujhe sakht aitraaz hai (I am against the kind of dresses actresses wear today). I don’t like them. But they are all doing good work. I also like the way Priyanka Chopra acts. She can slip into any role. I love Deepika Padukone too.

Do you miss your old colleagues?

I surely miss all of them, including Kishore da (Kumar; singer), Mukesh bhaiya (singer), Hemant da (Kumar; singer), Talat saab (Mahmood; singer) and Rafi saab (Mohamed; singer). I miss all the music directors as well. Only Khayyam saab (Mohammed Zahur; composer) is there from the old times; everyone else is new. I also take up fewer projects now. I have heavily reduced my work in films, as now I mostly focus on devotional songs such as ‘Shree krishnaye namah’, ‘Namah shivaye, ‘Gayatri mantra’ and the ‘Hanuman chalisa’. Recently, I also recorded songs for a great saint in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

Watch: Didi Tera Devar Deewana from Hum Aapke Hain Koun

Why have you stopped singing in Bollywood?

It was not a conscious decision. However, I feel I am a little unfit for the kind of music that is being made today. There is a big difference between what I sang earlier, and what is being made now. I am not saying this music is bad, but there are too many beats. The sur (notes) and kavita (poetry) are also not as good. There is a lot of western influence, which was there earlier too, but not as much as today.

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In an interview, your sister Asha Bhosle told us that you don’t understand today’s music…

I listen to today’s music, but I always feel that I am not fit for these songs. If I sing, music directors will say, “What have you sung? It is very bad.” I have never sung such songs. I don’t feel like singing them. Today’s songs are mostly duets with a chorus. I sang different kinds of tracks. They had a classical touch like bhajans do. Also, I am 87, so I feel it is better to rest a little.

Lata Mangeshkar says besides Sachin Tendulkar, she is also a big fan of ex-cricketer, Sunil Gavaskar. (Hindustan Times)

You are a big fan of cricket...

Yes, I love the sport. In the past, I used to admire many players from England as well as West Indies. Even my family members used to watch the sport. The most amazing thing was that my mother, too, would sit at the Cricket Club of India, Churchgate, stands, and watch the game for five days (smiles). I would put my recordings on hold for five days, and watch the match. My father used to play cricket, and also knew many cricketers such as Vijay Hazare and CK Nayudu. I met Hazare saab as well. He was very fond of me. I admire Sachin Tendulkar as much as I admire Sunil Gavaskar.

Watch: Lag jaa gale from Woh Kaun Thi

Watch: Ye hum aa gaye hain kahaan from Veer-Zara

If one wants to make an album of your songs, which tracks would you recommend?

It is a difficult thing to do, and an equally difficult question (laughs). But if you insist, I would say ‘Aayega aanewala’ (Mahal; 1949), ‘Aaja re pardesi’ (Madhumati; 1958) and ‘Lag ja gale (Woh Kaun Thi; 1964). I can’t recollect my favourites very easily, but I would also include ‘Allah tero naam’ (Hum Dono; 1961). The last song that I would include is of my brother Hridaynath’s. It was a classical song called ‘Suniyoji araj mhari’ from Lekin (1991). I also like a Bengali song ‘Keno kichhu kotha bolo na’. It was composed by Salil Chaudhary.

Listen: Top 100 songs of Lata Mangeshkar

Do you have any regrets?

I just have one thing in my heart. I had learnt classical singing from my father. In 1945, I learnt from Ustad Aman Ali Khan Bhendi Bazaar Waale (singer). Then, I became a disciple of Amanat Khan Dewaswale (singer). Later, I learnt from Bade Ghulam Ali Khan sahab’s disciple, Tulsidas Sharma, for a few days. I always have this regret that I couldn’t sit (like other classical musicians) on stage, and perform classical music. Since I sang in films, I didn’t find the time to do riyaaz. That has remained an unfulfilled desire. But it is okay, I have received a lot. Har insaan ko sab kuch nahin milta (Everyone doesn’t get everything).